Santorini Island (Thira, Greece)

Cruise Port schedule, live map, terminals, news

Rating:
Santorini Island cruise port

Region
Mediterranean - Black Sea

Local Time
2024-10-30 16:35

min: 66 °F (19 °C) / max: 69 °F (21 °C) 69°F
20.3°C
Wind: 354°/ 9.6 m/s  Gust: 12.1 m/sWind: 354°/ 9.6 m/s  Gust: 12.1 m/sFresh breeze
9.6 m/s
Min / Max Temperature69 °F / 21 °C
66 °F / 20 °C
  Port Map

Port Santorini Island cruise ship schedule shows timetable calendars of all arrival and departure dates by month. The port's schedule lists all ships (in links) with cruises going to or leaving from Santorini Island, Thira, Greece. To see the full itineraries (ports of call dates and arrival / departure times) and their lowest rates – just follow the corresponding ship-link.

DayShipArrivalDeparture
1 October, 2024
Tuesday
Windstar Cruises Cruises cruise lineStar Legend07:0021:00
1 October, 2024
Tuesday
MSC Cruises Cruises cruise lineMSC Divina08:0018:00
1 October, 2024
Tuesday
Celebrity Cruises Cruises cruise lineCelebrity Ascent08:0022:00
1 October, 2024
Tuesday
Carnival Cruise Line Cruises cruise lineCarnival Legend08:0017:00
2 October, 2024
Wednesday
Celestyal Cruises Cruises cruise lineCelestyal Journey
2 October, 2024
Wednesday
Celestyal Cruises Cruises cruise lineCelestyal Crystal07:00
2 October, 2024
Wednesday
MSC Cruises Cruises cruise lineMSC Lirica07:0018:00
2 October, 2024
Wednesday
Windstar Cruises Cruises cruise lineWind Star08:0021:00
2 October, 2024
Wednesday
Costa Cruises Cruises cruise lineCosta Deliziosa08:0018:00
3 October, 2024
Thursday
Viking Cruises Cruises cruise lineViking Saturn
3 October, 2024
Thursday
Star Clippers Cruises cruise lineStar Clipper
3 October, 2024
Thursday
Celestyal Cruises Cruises cruise lineCelestyal Discovery21:00
3 October, 2024
Thursday
Celebrity Cruises Cruises cruise lineCelebrity Silhouette07:0022:00
3 October, 2024
Thursday
Windstar Cruises Cruises cruise lineWind Spirit08:0021:00
3 October, 2024
Thursday
Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection Cruises cruise lineRitz-Carlton Ilma08:0023:00
3 October, 2024
Thursday
Small Cruise Lines Cruises cruise lineCFC Renaissance08:0022:00
4 October, 2024
Friday
Azamara Cruises Cruises cruise lineAzamara Pursuit08:0018:00
5 October, 2024
Saturday
Royal Caribbean Cruises cruise lineOdyssey Of The Seas07:0020:00
5 October, 2024
Saturday
Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection Cruises cruise lineRitz-Carlton Evrima08:0023:00
6 October, 2024
Sunday
Celestyal Cruises Cruises cruise lineCelestyal Discovery21:00
6 October, 2024
Sunday
Costa Cruises Cruises cruise lineCosta Fortuna08:0017:00
7 October, 2024
Monday
Windstar Cruises Cruises cruise lineStar Legend08:0021:00
8 October, 2024
Tuesday
MSC Cruises Cruises cruise lineMSC Divina08:0018:00
8 October, 2024
Tuesday
Hapag-Lloyd Cruises Cruises cruise linems Europa 208:0019:00
8 October, 2024
Tuesday
Norwegian Cruise Line Cruises cruise lineNorwegian Epic14:0022:00
9 October, 2024
Wednesday
Celestyal Cruises Cruises cruise lineCelestyal Journey
9 October, 2024
Wednesday
Celestyal Cruises Cruises cruise lineCelestyal Crystal07:00
9 October, 2024
Wednesday
MSC Cruises Cruises cruise lineMSC Lirica07:0018:00
9 October, 2024
Wednesday
Windstar Cruises Cruises cruise lineWind Star08:0021:00
9 October, 2024
Wednesday
Regent Seven Seas Cruises Cruises cruise lineSeven Seas Navigator08:0018:00
9 October, 2024
Wednesday
Costa Cruises Cruises cruise lineCosta Deliziosa08:0018:00
10 October, 2024
Thursday
Celestyal Cruises Cruises cruise lineCelestyal Discovery21:00
10 October, 2024
Thursday
Royal Caribbean Cruises cruise lineExplorer Of The Seas07:0020:00
10 October, 2024
Thursday
Windstar Cruises Cruises cruise lineWind Spirit08:0021:00
10 October, 2024
Thursday
Silversea Cruises Cruises cruise lineSilver Ray08:0019:00
10 October, 2024
Thursday
Small Cruise Lines Cruises cruise lineCFC Renaissance08:0022:00
10 October, 2024
Thursday
Norwegian Cruise Line Cruises cruise lineNorwegian Pearl13:0022:00
11 October, 2024
Friday
Royal Caribbean Cruises cruise lineVoyager Of The Seas07:0020:00
11 October, 2024
Friday
Carnival Cruise Line Cruises cruise lineCarnival Legend08:0017:00
12 October, 2024
Saturday
Royal Caribbean Cruises cruise lineExplorer Of The Seas07:0022:00
13 October, 2024
Sunday
Celestyal Cruises Cruises cruise lineCelestyal Discovery21:00
13 October, 2024
Sunday
Marella Cruises Cruises cruise lineMarella Discovery07:0018:00
13 October, 2024
Sunday
Celebrity Cruises Cruises cruise lineCelebrity Silhouette07:0022:00
14 October, 2024
Monday
Oceania Cruises Cruises cruise lineOceania Riviera08:0019:00
14 October, 2024
Monday
Marella Cruises Cruises cruise lineMarella Explorer08:0018:00
15 October, 2024
Tuesday
MSC Cruises Cruises cruise lineMSC Divina08:0018:00
15 October, 2024
Tuesday
Norwegian Cruise Line Cruises cruise lineNorwegian Viva13:0022:00
16 October, 2024
Wednesday
Regent Seven Seas Cruises Cruises cruise lineSeven Seas Voyager07:0017:00
16 October, 2024
Wednesday
Celebrity Cruises Cruises cruise lineCelebrity Infinity07:0019:00
16 October, 2024
Wednesday
MSC Cruises Cruises cruise lineMSC Lirica07:0018:00
17 October, 2024
Thursday
Celestyal Cruises Cruises cruise lineCelestyal Discovery21:00
17 October, 2024
Thursday
Holland America Cruises cruise linems Nieuw Statendam08:0021:00
17 October, 2024
Thursday
Azamara Cruises Cruises cruise lineAzamara Pursuit08:0020:00
18 October, 2024
Friday
Royal Caribbean Cruises cruise lineVoyager Of The Seas07:0020:00
18 October, 2024
Friday
Windstar Cruises Cruises cruise lineWind Spirit08:0021:00
18 October, 2024
Friday
Windstar Cruises Cruises cruise lineStar Legend08:0020:00
18 October, 2024
Friday
Celebrity Cruises Cruises cruise lineCelebrity Equinox08:0022:00
18 October, 2024
Friday
MSC Explora Journeys Cruises cruise lineMSC Explora 109:0022:00
18 October, 2024
Friday
Oceania Cruises Cruises cruise lineOceania Vista10:0022:00
19 October, 2024
Saturday
Viking Cruises Cruises cruise lineViking Star
19 October, 2024
Saturday
Royal Caribbean Cruises cruise lineOdyssey Of The Seas07:0020:00
20 October, 2024
Sunday
Celestyal Cruises Cruises cruise lineCelestyal Discovery21:00
20 October, 2024
Sunday
Princess Cruises Cruises cruise lineIsland Princess07:0022:00
20 October, 2024
Sunday
Azamara Cruises Cruises cruise lineAzamara Pursuit08:0020:00
20 October, 2024
Sunday
Celebrity Cruises Cruises cruise lineCelebrity Infinity09:0022:00
20 October, 2024
Sunday
Norwegian Cruise Line Cruises cruise lineNorwegian Prima13:0022:00
21 October, 2024
Monday
Virgin Voyages Cruises cruise lineScarlet Lady08:0020:00
21 October, 2024
Monday
Carnival Cruise Line Cruises cruise lineCarnival Legend08:0017:00
21 October, 2024
Monday
Norwegian Cruise Line Cruises cruise lineNorwegian Pearl13:0022:00
21 October, 2024
Monday
Royal Caribbean Cruises cruise lineExplorer Of The Seas14:0023:00
22 October, 2024
Tuesday
Celebrity Cruises Cruises cruise lineCelebrity Silhouette07:0022:00
22 October, 2024
Tuesday
MSC Cruises Cruises cruise lineMSC Divina08:0018:00
22 October, 2024
Tuesday
Mystic Cruises Cruises cruise lineCMV Vasco da Gama-Nicko08:0020:00
22 October, 2024
Tuesday
Celebrity Cruises Cruises cruise lineCelebrity Ascent08:0022:00
22 October, 2024
Tuesday
AIDA Cruises Cruises cruise lineAIDAblu08:0019:00
23 October, 2024
Wednesday
Viking Cruises Cruises cruise lineViking Star
23 October, 2024
Wednesday
Celestyal Cruises Cruises cruise lineCelestyal Journey
23 October, 2024
Wednesday
MSC Cruises Cruises cruise lineMSC Lirica07:0018:00
23 October, 2024
Wednesday
Norwegian Cruise Line Cruises cruise lineNorwegian Viva08:0022:00
23 October, 2024
Wednesday
Norwegian Cruise Line Cruises cruise lineNorwegian Dawn13:0021:00
24 October, 2024
Thursday
Celestyal Cruises Cruises cruise lineCelestyal Discovery21:00
24 October, 2024
Thursday
Norwegian Cruise Line Cruises cruise lineNorwegian Pearl08:0022:00
25 October, 2024
Friday
Marella Cruises Cruises cruise lineMarella Discovery07:0018:00
26 October, 2024
Saturday
Royal Caribbean Cruises cruise lineOdyssey Of The Seas07:0020:00
27 October, 2024
Sunday
Celestyal Cruises Cruises cruise lineCelestyal Discovery21:00
27 October, 2024
Sunday
Celestyal Cruises Cruises cruise lineCelestyal Crystal08:0019:00
28 October, 2024
Monday
Silversea Cruises Cruises cruise lineSilver Ray08:0022:00
28 October, 2024
Monday
Small Cruise Lines Cruises cruise lineCFC Renaissance08:0023:00
28 October, 2024
Monday
Marella Cruises Cruises cruise lineMarella Explorer08:0018:00
28 October, 2024
Monday
Celebrity Cruises Cruises cruise lineCelebrity Infinity08:0021:00
29 October, 2024
Tuesday
Norwegian Cruise Line Cruises cruise lineNorwegian Dawn07:0019:00
29 October, 2024
Tuesday
Regent Seven Seas Cruises Cruises cruise lineSeven Seas Splendor08:0018:00
29 October, 2024
Tuesday
MSC Cruises Cruises cruise lineMSC Divina08:0018:00
30 October, 2024
Wednesday
Princess Cruises Cruises cruise lineIsland Princess08:0018:00
30 October, 2024
Wednesday
Norwegian Cruise Line Cruises cruise lineNorwegian Prima13:0022:00
31 October, 2024
Thursday
Celestyal Cruises Cruises cruise lineCelestyal Discovery20:00

Santorini Island (Greece) is among the most popular ports of call on Eastern Mediterranean/Aegean cruises. The island is in the Aegan Sea and is the southernmost of the Greek Cycladic Islands.

Santorini (aka Thera/Thira) covers a total area of approx 91 km2 (35 mi2) and has population around 15,000.

The island's largest town and principal port is Fira/Thira (locode GRJTR).

Santorini Island is essentially what remained after an enormous volcanic eruption which destroyed the earliest settlements on a formerly single isle, and created the geological caldera. A large central, rectangular lagoon, measuring about 12x7 km (7,5x4,3 mi), is surrounded via 300 m (980 ft) high, steep cliffs on 3 sides. The depth of the caldera is 400 m (1312 ft), which makes it impossible for any but the biggest ships to anchor anywhere in the bay. A fisherman's harbour is located at Vlychada, on the southwestern coast. The principal port on the island is Athinios. Fira is the capital, clinging to the top of the cliff that is looking down on the lagoon. 

Santorini is the most active volcanic centre in South Aegean Volcanic Arc, but what remains today is mainly a water-filled caldera. The island's volcanic arc is approx 500 km (310 mi) long and 20-40 km (12-25 mi) wide. The region became volcanically active about 3–4 million years ago, but volcanism on Thera started about 2 million years ago via the extrusion of dacitic lavas from vents around Akrotiri.

The island is the site of one of the biggest volcanic eruptions in recorded history: Minoan eruption (sometimes called Thera eruption), which occurred around 3,600 years ago at the height of Minoan civilization. The eruption left a huge caldera surrounded by volcanic ash deposits and may have led to the collapse of Minoan civilization on Crete, 110 km (70 mi) to the south, via a gigantic tsunami. Another theory holds that Thera eruption is the source of Atlantis' legend.

Island's primary industry is tourism. The other main source of wealth includes agriculture. In recent years, the island has been voted one of the most beautiful in the world. Santorini remains the home of a flourishing wine industry, which is based on the Assyrtiko grape variety. White varieties include Aidani and Athiri, whereas red ones include mandilaria and mavrotragano.

In October 2017, the Greek Government ordered the raising of the sunken cruise ship Sea Diamond. The vessel foundered (took on water and sank) in 2007, leaving 2 passengers missing and 1 presumed dead. The decision was made as the wreck posed a potential environmental risk and was deemed a hazard to shipping near the island. On April 5, 2007, the 143-m ship struck a volcanic reef. All of its 1600 passengers and crew were evacuated, except a 45-year-old male passenger (of French origin) and his teenage daughter, who probably drowned. The bodies were never found. For cruise ship accidents you can visit our CruiseMinus section.

Santorini is the most popular cruising destination of all Greek Isles. The busy season for the island is from July through August. Santorini is often described as paradise and is among the world’s most breathtaking places. The towns on the island are situated atop of high cliffs and are looking over the caldera of an ancient volcano.

The closest to the cruise port Thira/Fira international airport is approx 6 km from downtown.

Santorini is often included in Eastern Med itineraries operated by major cruise line brands like Costa, MSC, RCI-Royal Caribbean, NCL-Norwegian, HAL-Holland America, Celebrity, Princess, as well as the luxury travel brands Azamara, RSSC-Regent, Oceania, Seabourn, Windstar, SeaDream.

In 2017, Santorini self-imposed a daily cruise passenger limit of 12000. In 2018, this limit was further pushed down to 8000 per day.

The island's cruise port schedule for 2018 listed 439 ship calls (409 in 2017). For season 2019 were handled 592 calls and ~870,000 passengers.

Following the COVID crisis, in 2022 Santorini handled 686 cruise ship visits, which number in 2023 increased to 753 (112 in June alone).

In August 2024, Santorini implemented regulations to manage the influx of cruise ship tourists, limiting their number at the dock to 500 at any given time. The measure aimed to alleviate congestion and improve the overall vacation experience. However, tourists arriving on larger ships experienced delays as water shuttle operations (ship-to-shore transfers), leading to longer wait times for disembarking or returning passengers. Additionally, the Santorini Port Authority prohibited cruise vessels from providing water stations at the dock so visitors are advised to bring their own water ashore.

Santorini Island cruise terminal

Cruise ships to Santorini Island dock (anchor) at Thira - port town on the western coast. The cruise port is a tender port (doesn’t have a passenger terminal). Cruise vessels anchor in the caldera and their passengers are tendered ashore to the Old Port in Fira (Skala) via local tender boats (called skunas). Cruise liners usually call on Santorini Island at 8 am and leave at 6 pm.

Cruise ship tourists can reach Fira Town by walking, by donkey or by cable car. Cable car and donkey rides are affordably priced. A cable car is available every 20 min. Donkey rides from the cruise tender dock take up to 30 min, almost the same as walking.

Note: All cruise ship tourists must utilize local water shuttles to reach the island, which can result in extended waiting periods, especially when multiple large ships are in port simultaneously. Upon arrival, most cruisers take the cable car to ascend to Fira. Alternatively, you can opt for the Karavolades Stairs to reach Fira, though the steep, slippery, and exposed path can be challenging, particularly in hot weather.

Santorini Island tours, shore excursions, hotels

City Tours and Shore Excursions

Fira (Thira): the capital of the island is amazing place. The houses, the flowers, the sunsets – even they are impressive enough. All buildings are white with blue cupolas. The streets are narrow, the hotels are small, the cuisine in the restaurants is so tasty. The city is easily reached from Santorini cruise port tender dock – you need to climb 580 zig zag steps.

Museum of Prehistoric Fira: located near the bus station.

Folklore Museum: the museum is located on Kontochori. The building is a cave dwelling from the 19th century. Discover the typical household on the island. You can also find many local tools for wine-making or barrel-making. The Folklore Museum works from May to October. The admission is three euros.

Oia: eight miles from Santorini cruise port tender dock (direction north) is the most photographed village of the island. Everything here is breathtaking, especially dinner at sunset.

Naval Museum: the museum is located in Oia. It is open from April to November. The admission is three euros. The museum houses local ships models, equipment for navigation and more.

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